It has been said that to build a present-day mass movement we
need to capture the energy, the enthusiasm, the risk taking spirit
of our youth. Well, self-interest is always a great motivator. Back
when I was a youhg man, one of the reasons to become involved in the
movement for human liberation was the fact we were liable to be
drafted into a racist army to fight, kill and perhaps die in an evil
unjust imperial war in Vietnam. For black youth today's draft is not
into the military, but straight into prison, as a third or more face
with actuarial certainty the prospect of prison before the age of
30. We will never earn nor do we deserve the motivated political
allegiance of today's young black people till have helped them build
and unleash a mass movement against our nation's policies of
racially selective mass imprisonment. In the Black Commentator
article I try to sketch some of the broad outlines of how we can
begin to put the issue of racially selective mass incarceration of
black youth on the political front burner. I am sending you this
link in the hope that you will read it, think about it, offer any
helpful or appropriate criticism, and consider what action you might
be willing to take, beginning with forwarding this message to
someone else. Thank you. Respectfully, Bruce Dixon Marietta GA

For other pages from The Black Commentator, please visit
http://www.blackcommentator.com.